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Industry Experts Help DMU Create New Cyber Security MSc

A pioneering new training course is aiming to provide a boost to the UK cyber security talent pool.

De Montfort University in Leicester (DMU) has created a course that will include input from industry giants such as Airbus Group, Deloitte, BT and Rolls-Royce. The university is attempting to create a cyber security course that is fit-for-purpose in today’s market, while also addressing the UK’s cyber skills shortage.

With high-profile breaches occurring at companies like TalkTalk, Sony Pictures and the Hilton hotel over the past 12 months, cyber security has established itself as a major threat to businesses and national security. In the fight against cyber attacks, DMU hopes that its new course will play an important part in producing the talented personnel required to advance organisations’ cyber defences.

Dr Helge Janicke, head of the Cyber Security Centre at DMU, commented: “The importance of evolving security techniques and skills is ever more vital in today’s interconnected world. Cyber security is a booming industry with a huge demand for our highly trained graduates.

“At DMU we have produced what we believe to be the best cyber security MSc course available anywhere. It has been designed and is being delivered in conjunction with some of the biggest firms in the world.

“Their expertise and ongoing support will give students an unmatched grounding in the latest techniques and skills needed, while also giving them a complete social, ethical and legal knowledge context, positioning them as ideal candidates to begin successful careers in a growing industry.”

Experts from some of the aforementioned companies will be on hand to not only offer advice to students but to also work with DMU to continuously evolve the curriculum of the dubbed Cyber Technology MSc. According to the university, the course will focus on four main areas: cyber security, software engineering, digital forensics and management. Essentially, students will learn how to prevent, detect and cope with a data breach.

Earlier this month, Chancellor George Osborne said that the Government was going to double national spending on cyber security to a total of £1.9 billion over the period to 2020 in recognition of the seriousness of this threat to safety and the economy in the UK.